On Friday, 19 December, Hamas announced the end of the Egyptian initiated calm that had been in force for six months. Dozens of Kassam and longer-range Grad rockets once again rained down on Israel.
On Saturday, 27 December, after a week of rocket barrage, Israel initiated a military operation against the terrorist rule of Hamas in Gaza - this after over 12,000 rockets were fired at Israelis living in the southern part of the country on an almost daily basis over the last seven years. The government of Israel has the right - indeed, the duty - to protect its citizens. This is one of the most basic responsibilities of every democratic government, and Israel is no different. The government of Israel is determined to create a better, more secure reality that will ensure the safety of the Israeli population in southern Israel over the long term.
While the IDF is conducting precision operations against the Hamas terror infrastructure and avoids harming the innocent, continues to strike at civilian targets in Israel. Israeli civilians - Jews and Arabs alike - are being killed and wounded in their homes, at work, driving in their cars. The people of southern Israel live in fear.
On Tuesday, 30 December, the longer-range Grad rockets now being deployed from Gaza reached as far as Beersheba, the capital of the Negev with a population of 185,000, almost 40 kilometers (24 miles) from the Gaza Strip. Other Israeli cities and communities over 30 kilometers from Gaza have joined the long list of Hamas targets: Ashdod, Yavne, Kiryat Malakhi, Omer, and the Beduin town of Rahat. One of the first rockets to hit Beersheba struck a kindergarten that would have been filled with children had it hit earlier in the day. Another struck a Beersheba school on Wednesday morning.
Israel agreed to the calm last June, which was immediately violated by Hamas when it refused to advance the release of Gilad Shalit, continued to arm itself, and continued firing. Hamas used the six months of calm to build up its strength, develop and produce weapons, and train terrorist operatives, preparing for the period after the calm. The targets struck by the IAF show just how prepared the Hamas terror apparatus was and how deeply entrenched, using its civilian population as human shields. Its military headquarters and terrorist facilities are placed in civilian structures such as private homes, basements of houses inhabited by families with children, schools, colleges and universities, mosques and other public buildings.
Israel and Hamas cannot be placed in the same moral equation. Israel is operating against Hamas, a terror organization which uses civilians as human shields and deliberately targets civilians. Hamas does not care what happens to the residents of Gaza. Israel warned the Gaza residents that every site of terrorist activity is a target. The sole responsibility for the ongoing suffering of the Palestinian population lies with Hamas.
Israel's fight is against Hamas, a terror organization, not against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip. Despite the ongoing rocket fire from Gaza, Israel is allowing the transfer of humanitarian supplies to the Gaza Strip, including aid from various countries (Egypt, Turkey, Jordan) and international organizations (UNRWA, the World Food Programme, Red Cross, etc.). The deliveries are coordinated with Israel. In the last few days, some 200 trucks carrying food, medicines and medical supplies, including units of blood, have been delivered. Israel intends to maintain its humanitarian policy even as the fighting continues.
Hamas does not recognize the existence of Israel or Israel's right to exist here. Hamas does not want peace. Israel proposes a vision of peace, while Hamas proposes a vision of war. Peace with Israel and calm in the region can only be achieved by dialogue. In order to achieve this, we must fight those extremist elements who resort to violence and terror. Restoring security to the Israeli citizens will also bring greater security to the people of Gaza, who are suffering the consequences of Hamas terror.
Israel is waging a struggle, but this struggle is not Israel's alone. Israel is standing on the frontlines of the Western world's war against terror, and we expect support for fighting the war of the entire free world.